Dodgers Web Musings: Was Jonathan Broxton’s drop-off a mental issue?

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The problem is not his arm, it’s his head. Jonathan Broxton’s ability did not suddenly leave him, just his confidence to use that ability.

So says former Dodgers minor league manager Kevin Kennedy in his role as baseball commentator for Fox Sports.

Kennedy, pointing to his head, said: ‘He faulted because of what went on up here.’

Also on the Web:

-- The Times’ T.J. Simers writes that left-hander Clayton Kershaw is the Dodgers’ biggest star, albeit in a limited team universe.

-- The Times’ Dylan Hernandez says that despite the Dodgers’ offensive woes, hitting instructor Jeff Pentland is confident their offense won’t struggle as it did in the second half last season.

-- Forbes magazine has released its annual Major League Baseball team financial evaluations, and though the Dodgers’ value increased 10% to $800 million, kind words were hardly plentiful. Forbes says Frank and Jamie McCourt -- you know, the co-owners -- ‘had racked up a staggering $459 million in debt, much of which was used personally. Forbes estimates that almost all of the team’s profits were being used to pay down just the interest.’

-- Yahoo Sports’ Steve Henson looks at the recovery from a serious neck injury and the attempted comeback of Padres infielder David Newhan, son of The Times’ Hall of Fame baseball writer, Ross Newhan.

-- Baseball America treats the Dodgers better than most in its annual ranking of major league farm systems, picking them 11th. ESPN’s Keith Law previously ranked the Dodgers 22nd (Insider status required), and Baseball Prospectus had them at 18th.

-- Fox Sports’ Ken Rosenthal says most Diamondbacks players are responding positively to their new, intense manager, Kirk Gibson.

-- The honeymoon phase continued: Sports Illustrated’s Joe Lemire says Manny Ramirez is happy in Tampa and getting off to a positive start with coaches and teammates.

-- True Blue LA’s David Young takes a look at Broxton’s comeback and is moderately confident.

-- LA Dodger Talk’s Mark Timmons offers his best guess at the Dodgers’ season-opening 25-man roster.

-- Dodgers.com’s Ken Gurnick writes that Jon Garland appears to be ahead of schedule in his recovery from a strained oblique and that it’s possible he won’t miss his start the first time he is expected to be needed, April 12.

-- Steve Dilbeck